Apparatus for receiving notebooks, file holders and the like



Aug. 21, 1956 R. BRINKMANN To BROXTEN 61 APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING NOTEBOOKS, FILE HQLDERS AND THE LIKE Filed NOV. 20, 1951 F/LiiQ w m \MMlllllll \muwll I United States Patent APPARATUS FGR RECEIVING NOTEBOOKS, FILE HOLDERS AND THE LIKE Rudolf Brinkmann to Broxten, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Application November 20, 1951, Serial No. 257,272

Claims priority, application Germany December 1, 1950 7 Claims. (Cl. 211-46) The present invention relates to an apparatus for receiving notebooks, files, and the like.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a special cabinet and support means for notebooks, files and the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an arrangement, for supporting notebooks and the like, which is capable of supporting more horizontal rows of notebooks than conventional cabinets and cases while at the same time permitting each notebook to be independently removed Without disturbing the other note- :books.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of the above type which permits all of the notebooks or files to be easily and conveniently seen, so that a desired one thereof may be quickly found and removed.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of the above type which is of an extremely simple construction and free of any moving parts such as drawers and the like.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a means for placing the greatest number of notebooks, files, or the like, in a minimum amount of space.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a support means, for notebooks and the like, which permits the latter to be slidably moved without binding.

With the above objects in view, the present invention mainly consists of an apparatus for receiving notebooks, files, and the like, said apparatus having a frame provided with a vertical axis and at least two pairs of rail members extending horizontally along the frame, being fixed thereto and being respectively located in parallel planes inclined to the vertical frame axis so that one pair of rail members is located above the other of said pairs of rail members. Said one pair of rail members has a lower rail member located slightly above an upper rail member of said other pair of rail members, and the said planes preferably make an angle of approximately 30 with the vertical frame axis. Each of the rails has an upper wall portion formed with a groove extending along the same, and at least a pair of hanger means are respectively supported by said pairs of rail members, these hanger means each having a pair of opposite end portions substantially normal to said planes and extending respectively into the grooves of a pair of rail members. These end portions of the hanger means are of a slightly lesser thickness than the width of the grooves and are of a substantially elliptical cross-section having the larger axis thereof substantially parallel to the rails so that the I hanger members may be tilted without binding. The opposite end portions of each hanger means are located 7 against the lower of each pair of rail members. Thus, when a notebook, file, or the like is attached to one of "ice these hanger means, such a notebook or the like is removable, with the hanger means, from the rails independently of any other notebook and moreover is slidable along the length of the rails.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows an isometric view of one possible embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the structure of Fig. l, with a side wall of the latter removed;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of one pair of rail members and hanger means mounted thereon;

Fig. 4 is a view of the structure of Fig. 3 as seen from the lower side thereof and illustrating notebooks attached to the hanger means;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic, sectional view of a pair of rail members together with a hanger means and notebook; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken along line A-B of Fig. 5 and showing an end portion of a hanger means located within a groove of a rail member.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a frame 1 having opposite side walls between which the pairs of rail members 3 extend, these pairs of rail members being located over each other, as illustrated in Fig. 2, with the upper of each of these pairs of rail members 3 being located slightly below the lower of the pair of rail members located immediately thereabove. As is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, strengthening members iare fixedly mounted to each of the side walls directly against the underside of each pair of rail members.

Each rail member 3 has its upper wall face portion formed with a groove 5 extending along the length thereof, and a hanger means 2 extends between each pair of rails and has opposite end portions located respectively within the grooves 5 of each pair of rails, as is shown in Fig. 5. Thus, a notebook, or the like, may be attached to the hanger means 2 and supported on a pair of rails 3 for sliding movement therealong.

.t is most desirable to evenly distribute the weight supported by hanger means 2 between the two rails 3 of each of rails. This result would be achieved if each pair of rails were located in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical axis of frame 1. However, such an arrangement would require a distance slightly greater than twice the width of notebook 7 between each pair of rails so that the notebooks could be individually removed from the frame 1, and therefore such an arrangeinent would be undesirable since a large space would be required for a relatively small number of notebooks. On the other hand, if the pairs of rail members 3 were located in vertical planes, the notebooks would be supported only from the upper rails of each pair of rails so that the weight thereof would not be distributed between each pair of rails, but this arrangement would enable a very large number of notebooks to be located within a relatively small space. In order to reconcile these two conflicting requirements, it has been found that when each pair of rails is located in a plane making an angle of approximately 30 with the vertical axis of the frame 1, as is illustrated in Fig. 2, as large a number of horizontal rows of notebooks may be provided along the height of the frame 1 as when the pairs of rails are in a vertical plane, and at the ame time, the weight of the notebooks is distributed between each rail of the pairs of rails and any one notebook may be removed from the frame 1 and replaced therein without necessitating the removal of other notebooks.

The hanger means 2 has its intermediate portion located substantially parallel to the plane of a pair of rail members and the end portions thereof substantially normal to this plane and extending respectively into the grooves 5 of a pair of rails 3. As is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5, the bent end portions 6 of each hanger means 2 are located slightly nearer to each other than the distance between the grooves 5 of a pair of rails 3 so that the hanger means 2 and the notebooks 7 attached thereto are partially suspended from the upper rail 3, shown in Fig. 5, and only rest against the lower rail 3 so as to promote the free slidability of the hanger means 2 along the rails. As is shown in Fig. 6, at least those parts 6a, of end portions 6, which are located within the grooves 5 are of a lens-like or elliptical cross-section having the larger axis thereof substantially parallel to the rails, so

that the hanger means 2 maybe tilted without binding against the rails, as is shown in Fig. 3 where the hanger means 2 on each side of the gap between the series of hanger means are so tilted.

As is apparent from Fig. 4, a notebook 7a having more papers therein than adjacent notebooks 7 may compress these latter notebooks so that the hanger means 2 of the series of notebooks may all be located next to each other, and in this way also the present invention enables a large number of notebooks to be located within a minimum of space.

As is apparent from Fig. 2, any notebook 7, together with hanger means 2 attached thereto, may be removed from the frame 1 in a direction perpendicular to the planes in which the pairs of rail 3 are located without in any way disturbing other notebooks.

The circular cross-section of the hangermeans 2, shown in Fig. 4, is adapted to have indicia located thereon for identifying notebooks according to any desired scheme,

and this indicia may be located on snap rings and the like which may be mounted on the hanger means 2. Instead of the circular cross-section of the hanger means shown in Fig. 4, the intermediate portion of the hanger means 21may have atriangular cross-section, for example.

The free sliding movement of the notebooks along the rails, which the above-described structure permits enables the notebooks to be easily moved aside for the entry of additional notebooks into the frame 1 according to any desired scheme.

It will be noted that with the above described structure an exceedingly simple and eificient apparatus for receiving notebooks, and the like, is provided, this apparatus being free of any moving parts, such as drawers, and the like, which require both more expense and space than the apparatus described,

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of apparatus for receiving notebooks, files and the like differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an apparatus for receiving a maximum number of notebooks, files and the like, in a minimum space while still permitting free movement and individual removability of the notebooks, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others 'can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications Without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for receiving notebooks, files, and the like, comprising in combination, a frame having a vertical axis; at least one pair of rail members, extending horizontally along said frame, being fixed thereto, and being located in a plane inclined to said vertical axis, said rails each having an upper wall portion formed with a groove extending along the same; and at least one hanger means having an intermediate portion substantially parallel to said plane and having opposite end portions substantially normal to said plane and extending into said rail grooves, respectively, so that a notebook, or the like, may be attached to said hanger member and supported thereby for sliding movement along said rails, at least said end portions of said hanger means being of a substantially elliptical cross-section having the larger axis thereof substantially parallel to said rails so that said hanger means may be tilted without binding against said rails.

2. Apparatus for receiving notebooks, files, and the like, comprising in combination, a frame having a vertical axis; at least one pair of rail members extending horizontally along said frame, being fixed thereto, and being located in a plane inclined to said vertical axis, said rails each having an upper wall portion formed with a groove extending along the same; and at least one hanger means having an intermediate portion substantially parallel to said plane and having opposite end portions substantially normal to said plane and extending into said rail grooves, respectively, so that a notebook, or the like, may be attached to said hanger member and supported thereby for sliding movement along said rails, said end portions each being of a slightly lesser thickness than the width of said grooves and said end portions being located slightly nearer to each other than the distance between said grooves of said rails so that said hanger means is partially suspended from the upper of said rails and only rests against the lower of said rails, at least said end portions of said hanger means being of a substantially elliptical cross-section having the larger axis thereof substantially parallel to said rails so that said hanger means may be tilted without binding against said rails.

3. Apparatus for receiving notebooks, files, and the like, comprising in combination, a frame having a vertical axis; at least one pair of rail members extending horizontally along said frame, being fixed thereto, and being located in a plane inclined to said vertical axis by approximately 30", said rails each having an upper Wall portion formed with a groove extending along the same; and at least one hanger means having an intermediate portion substantially parallel to said plane and having opposite end portions substantially normal to said plane and extending into said rail grooves, respectively, so that a notebook, or the like, may be attached to said hanger member and supported thereby for sliding movement along said rails, said end portions each being of a slightly lesser thickness than the width of said grooves and said end portions being located slightly nearer to each other than the distance between said grooves of said rails so that said hanger means is partially suspended from the upper of said rails and only rests against the lower of said rails, at least said end portions of said hanger means being of a substantially elliptical cross-section having the larger axis thereof substantially parallel to said rails so that said hanger means may be tilted without binding against said rails.

4. Apparatus for receiving notebooks, files, and the like, comprising in combination, a frame having a vertical axis; at least two pairs of rail members extending horizontally along said frame, being fixed thereto, and being respectively located in parallel planes inclined to said vertical axis, so that one of said pairs of rail members is located above the other of said pairs of rail members, said one pair of rail members having a lower rail located slightly above an upper rail of said other pair of rail members, said rails each having an upper wall portion formed with a groove extending along the same; and at least two hanger means each having an intermediate portion substantially parallel to said planes and opposite end portions substantially normal thereto, said hanger means having said opposite end portions thereof extending into said grooves of said pairs of rails, respectively, so that a pair of notebooks, or the like, may be respectively attached to said hanger means to be supported thereby for sliding movement along said rails and to be independently removable therewith from said rails, at least said end portions of said hanger means being of a substantially elliptical cross-section having the larger axis thereof substantially parallel to said rails so that said hanger means may be tilted Without binding against said rails.

5. Apparatus for receiving notebooks, files, and the like, comprising in combination, a frame having a vertical axis; at least two pairs of rail members extending horizontally along said frame, being fixed thereto, and being respectively located in parallel planes inclined to said vertical aXis, so that one of said pairs of rail members is located above the other of said pairs of rail members, said one pair of rail members having a lower rail located slightly above an upper rail of said other pair of rail members, said rails each having an upper wall portion formed with a groove extending along the same; and at least two hanger means each having an intermediate portion substantially parallel to said planes and opposite end portions substantially normal thereto, said hanger means having said opposite end portions thereof extending into said grooves of said pairs of rails, respectively, so that a pair of notebooks, or the like, may be respectively attached to said hanger means to be supported thereby for sliding movement along said rails and to be independently removable therewith from said rails, said end portions of each hanger means being of a slightly lesser thickness than the width of said grooves and said end portions of each hanger means being located slightly nearer to each other than the distance between said grooves of each pair of rails so that said hanger means are respectively partially suspended from the upper of each of said pairs of rails and only rest against the lower of each of said pairs of rails, at least said end portions of said hanger means being of a substantially elliptical crosssection having the larger axis thereof substantially parallel to said rails so that said hanger means may be tilted without binding against said rails.

6. Apparatus for receiving notebooks, files and the like, comprising in combination, a frame having a vertical axis; at least two pairs of rail members extending horizontally along said frame, being fixed thereto, and being respectively located in parallel planes inclined to said vertical axis by approximately 30, so that one of said pairs of rail members is located above the other of said pairs of rail members, said one pair of rail members having a lower rail located slightly above an upper rail of said other pair of rail members, said rails each having an upper wall portion formed with a groove extending along the same; and at least two hanger means each having an intermediate portion substantially parallel to said planes and opposite end portions substantially normal thereto, said hanger means having said opposite end portions thereof extending into said grooves of said pairs of rails, respectively, so that a pair of notebooks, or the like, may be respectively attached to said hanger means to be supported thereby for sliding movement along said rails and to be independently removable therewith from said rails, said end portions of each hanger means being of a slightly lesser thickness than the width of said grooves and said end portions of each hanger means being located slightly nearer to each other than the distance between said grooves of each pair of rails so that said hanger means are respectively partially suspended from the upper of each of said pairs of rails and only rest against the lower of each of said pairs of rails, at least said end portions of said hanger means being of a substantially elliptical cross-section having the larger axis thereof substantially parallel to said rails so that said hanger means may be tilted without binding against said rails.

7. Hanger means for supporting notebooks, and the like, and consisting of a substantially straight intermediate portion and opposite end portions substantially normal to said intermediate portion and each being of a sub stantially elliptical cross-section, so that said end portions may each be located in a groove of a rail to removably mount the hanger means for free slidable movement along the rails.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 843,387 Blackman Feb. 5, 1907 1,088,640 Walton Feb. 24, 1914 1,093,223 Wheary Apr. 14, 1914 1,424,333 Batts Aug. 1, 1922 1,565,244 Angell Dec. 15, 1925 1,803,823 Wittenmyer May 5, 1931 1,905,564 Kliem Apr. 25, 1933 1,924,096 Adams Aug. 29, 1933 1,927,347 Lee Sept. 19, 1933 

